Richard M. Nixon

Presidency

Whom did he defeat to win the 1972 general election?

Nixon defeated Democrat George McGovern to win reelection in 1972. McGovern served as a U.S. senator from South Dakota. He was an outspoken critic of the Vietnam War and favored busing to fully integrate the public schools—an issue that Nixon spoke out heavily against. Nixon trounced McGovern in one of the most lopsided elections in history. He garnered 520 electoral votes to only 17 for McGovern.